Question of the week: Should California allow a 4 a.m. last call for alcohol?

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, patrons are seen at the King Eddy Saloon, one of the oldest and most colorful dive bars in Los Angeles. The King Eddy Saloon located near the Skid Row will close next September after more than 100 years as a bar. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The most talked about new bill in Sacramento -- maybe not the most important, but the most talked about -- proposes to allow a later last call for alcohol at California watering holes.

Senate Bill 635, by state Sen. Mark Leno of San Francisco, would let cities and counties petition California regulators to permit restaurants, bars and nightclubs to serve drinks as late as 4 a.m. instead of the current 2 a.m. Leno argues this would let tourist destinations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego compete better with later-closing towns like Las Vegas. This, he says, would mean more "jobs, tourism and local tax revenue. "

Supporters and opponents of the idea are already bellying up to the rhetorical bar - restaurant trade groups in favor, neighborhood groups among those against.

What do you think?

One argument is that allowing later closing times would simply give drinking establishments and patrons more freedom for a perfectly legal activity. Some proponents are entranced by the prospect of an economic boost at a time when the state is thirsty for it.

But the other side says that's taking the "it'll create jobs" rationale too far. They worry this would lead to more drunk driving.

Leno says he has seen no evidence later alcohol service increases drunk-driving deaths.

Under SB 635, alcohol service still would be subject to regulation. A city that got permission from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for later cutoffs could choose which establishments they apply to.

Maybe a 4 a.m. closing time would work better in a small city with a mature system of public transportation, like San Francisco, than a sprawling one that depends on cars, like Los Angeles.

Or maybe there should be no government-imposed opening (currently 6 a.m.) or closing times.

Here's an impertinent thought: Maybe the safest way would be to allow public drinking only between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., when the streets are emptiest.

Send your thoughts to opinion@langnews.com. Please include your full name, city or community of residence and daytime phone number (for verification purposes only). Or share your views in the comments section that accompanies this article online. We will publish as many responses as we can in Sunday's paper.